Muna and his mother were peasants who lived in a small island village in twelfth century Japan where they toiled hard for the lord of the island. Due to his illegitimacy, Muna had to endure the taunts and disdain of his fellow peasants, which made him determined to find his father, rumored to be an important samurai. After his mother's death, Muna ran away to the capital city of Japan to begin his quest.
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During his journey he meets the boisterous yet likable samurai named Takanobu who later claims to be his father. He befriends a gentle sandlemaker and his lovely daughter, and becomes apprenticed to a renowned swordmaker of excellent character. As Muna interacts with these people and struggles to find his own identity, he must decide where his loyalties lie: with his "father" Takanobu, with the sandlemaker's daughter, with his provider and mentor the swordmaker, or only to himself in a determinedly isolated existence.
The review of this Book prepared by Katherine Brooks